Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

County Lines: Exploitation of Children

Monday 10 February 2020 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial response highlighted the importance of differential sentencing as a deterrent for those involved in county lines.
  • A new Cabinet committee has been established to coordinate Government efforts in addressing county lines exploitation, including a recommendation for a unified definition in law.
  • The allocation of police officers to specific force areas remains a matter for the chief constable, according to the Minister's response.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Joy Morrissey Con Beaconsfield
Crime & Law Enforcement Children & Families
Context

Thames Valley police are working to protect children from county lines drug gangs in Beaconsfield.

Question

In Beaconsfield, the Thames Valley police have been working tirelessly to protect and prevent child exploitation, particularly from county lines. Will the Minister update the House on what preventive tools the police can use to protect children and young people who are at risk of being criminally exploited through the county lines network?

Answer from Kit Malthouse (Minister for Policing, Fire and the Life Sciences)

One of the most significant deterrents that we think will be available to us is differential sentencing. A judge, on giving a sentence to somebody who is involved in county lines, can already take into act culpability factors, such as the use of children. The Sentencing Council is currently reviewing those guidelines, and we hope and believe that the most severe penalties will be meted out to those who exploit children in this way.

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Q2 Carolyn Harris Lab Swansea East
Crime & Law Enforcement Safeguarding & DBS
Context

There is currently no statutory definition of “child criminal exploitation”, leading to inconsistent understanding and response by safeguarding agencies and police forces.

Question

With no statutory definition of “child criminal exploitation”, different safeguarding agencies and police forces understand the risks differently, but county lines exploitation is everywhere. In order to comply with Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary's recommendation that we need a unified definition in law of child criminal exploitation, when can we expect such an announcement so that we truly safeguard these child victims?

Answer from Kit Malthouse (Minister for Policing, Fire and the Life Sciences)

The co-ordination of the effort across Government and indeed, across all the arms of government, including local government, will be one of the primary tasks of the new Cabinet committee that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has established. The recommendation for a unified definition in law of child criminal exploitation will be addressed as part of this co-ordinated approach.

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Q3 Suella Braverman Reform Fareham
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

Hampshire has been targeted by county lines drug gangs, and recent arrests have been made in Fareham.

Question

According to Hampshire police, every town in our county has been targeted by county lines drugs gangs, and in Fareham we had some recent arrests of drug dealers. Will the Minister reassure me that Fareham will not get overlooked in the allocation of police officers as part of the new recruitment wave?

Answer from Kit Malthouse (Minister for Policing, Fire and the Life Sciences)

The allocation of police officers in specific force areas is a matter for the chief constable. As a Hampshire MP myself, with a town that has also been preyed upon by county lines drug dealers, she can be assured that how we as a county, and indeed, as a country can combat this scourge is at the front of my mind.

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Q4 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Crime & Law Enforcement Children & Families
Context

Young people caught up in county lines often require rehousing or a safe place to stay after being identified and rescued.

Question

What discussions is the Minister having with other Departments about what we do when young people have been identified as having been caught up in county lines? It is very important, in some cases at least, that they are treated as victims, but that means getting them away from the scenes where they are vulnerable, and many times they are not found until they present at hospital because they have been stabbed. What are we doing about rehousing them or finding them a safe place to go, so that they do not get caught back up in the gangs again?

Answer from Kit Malthouse (Minister for Policing, Fire and the Life Sciences)

The Cabinet committee that the Prime Minister has drawn together will look specifically at this. The hon. Lady will be pleased to know that cross-government work is being led by the Cabinet Office, looking at what more we can do to make sure that we deal with this problem.

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